The present invention relates to an optical connector device and an optical connector which are useful in the field of optical communication for OA, FA, vehicle apparatuses, and the like.
In an optical connector of the related art, particularly, in an optical connector which is used in an electromagnetically severe environment such as in an automobile, a configuration is employed in which an optical element for photoelectric conversion is covered by a shield case and the shield case is then accommodated in a connector housing member. Electromagnetic noises or the like which may reach from the outside to the optical element are blocked by the shield case.
In the related optical connector, a coupling window for optically coupling the optical element in the shield case with a counter optical fiber is formed in the shield case. This causes a problem in that the optical element is susceptible to influence of noises due to electromagnetic waves passing through the window.
It is an object of the invention to provide an optical connector device and an optical connector which have excellent shielding performance for electromagnetic noises that may pass through a coupling portion between an optical fiber and an optical element.
In order to solve the problem, an optical connector device of a first aspect of the invention is an optical connector device in which the device comprises: an element-side optical connector having an element accommodating housing member in which an optical element is accommodated; and a fiber-side optical connector having a fiber holding housing member in which an optical fiber is held, and when the element-side optical connector and the fiber-side optical connector are connected to each other, a front end face of the optical fiber is opposed to a light receiving or emitting face of the optical element, wherein, in the fiber holding housing member, electrical conductivity is given at least to a portion which is capable to block electromagnetic waves that are to pass through a coupling portion between the optical fiber and the optical element in a state where the element-side optical connector and the fiber-side optical connector are connected to each other, and the conductivity-given portion is grounded via the element-side optical connector.
In a second aspect of the invention, a whole of at least one of the element accommodating housing member and the fiber holding housing member is formed by an electrically conductive resin.
In a third aspect of the invention, an electrically conductive plated layer is formed on an entire surface of at least one of the element accommodating housing member and the fiber holding housing member.
In a fourth aspect of the invention, the optical element is accommodated in the element accommodating housing member in a state where the optical element is accommodated in a metal shield case.
An optical connector of a fifth aspect of the invention is an optical connector having a fiber holding housing member in which an optical fiber is held, wherein in the fiber holding housing member, electrical conductivity is given at least to a region extending from a portion which is capable to block electromagnetic waves that are to pass through a coupling portion between the optical fiber and an optical element in a counter optical connector, to a portion which is in contact with a counter element accommodating housing member, in a state where the optical connector and the counter optical connector are connected to each other.
An optical connector of a sixth aspect of the invention is an optical connector having an element accommodating housing member in which an optical element is accommodated, wherein in the element accommodating housing member, electrical conductivity is given at least to a portion which is in contact with a housing member of a counter optical connector, and the conductivity-given portion is grounded.